British Racer Says He “Owes His Life” to Rival After Dramatic Fiery Crash

British racing driver Ollie Millroy has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Dutch competitor Loek Hartog after the young racer risked his own safety to rescue him from a burning Ferrari during a terrifying China GT Championship accident in Shanghai.

Millroy, 36, was competing in the event on Saturday, September 5, when disaster struck approximately 20 minutes into the race. His Ferrari became involved in a collision involving multiple cars and was subsequently hit from the side.

The impact sent Millroy’s vehicle into a dangerous situation, with the Ferrari quickly catching fire.

Video footage from the incident showed flames engulfing the damaged car and thick smoke filling the area around the circuit. At the time, no safety marshals or fire crews appeared to be immediately available at the scene, leaving Millroy trapped inside the burning vehicle.

Hartog, who was competing against Millroy in the race, witnessed the accident and reacted almost instantly.

Rather than continuing the competition, the 23-year-old Dutchman stopped his own car and rushed toward the wreckage. He abandoned his race in order to help the trapped driver.

Hartog reportedly used a fire extinguisher to attack the flames before attempting to reach Millroy inside the Ferrari. He eventually managed to pull the British driver away from the burning vehicle and bring him to safety.

Millroy was initially treated beside the circuit before being transported to a hospital in Shanghai for further medical attention.

After arriving at the hospital, Millroy shared an emotional message on social media thanking Hartog for what he described as an extraordinary act of courage.

The British driver said he believed he was alive because Hartog had immediately stopped when he saw the burning car, despite emergency personnel not yet being present.

Millroy also revealed that the accident had left him with significant injuries.

He suffered five broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a broken hand and finger, as well as a bruised lung. Despite the seriousness of those injuries, he acknowledged that the outcome could have been far more devastating.

Millroy explained that he has no memory of a significant portion of the incident. He said that he could not recall what happened from approximately 30 seconds before the crash until about an hour afterward.

Nevertheless, one thing was already clear to him: Hartog’s intervention had been crucial.

Millroy said that he would remember the Dutch driver’s bravery for the rest of his life.

He also spoke about his three children, saying that he intended to tell them the story one day. In his eyes, Hartog would undoubtedly become a hero to them because of what he had done.

The injured driver described Hartog’s actions as completely selfless and made clear that he felt an enormous debt of gratitude toward his rival.

Millroy also provided an update on his recovery, revealing that he was expected to undergo several operations to repair his injuries.

Following the procedures, he anticipated spending several weeks recovering in Shanghai before being fit enough to travel home.

Despite being in hospital, Millroy also took time to acknowledge the people and organisations who had supported him.

He thanked Ferrari for producing a car capable of withstanding such a severe impact, suggesting that the strength of the vehicle had played an important role in his survival.

At the same time, he expressed sympathy for his AAI Motorsport team and teammate, jokingly referring to the damaged Ferrari as their “rocket ship.”

His message ended on an optimistic note as he looked toward recovery and eventually returning to racing.

Hartog responded to Millroy’s tribute by wishing him a fast and complete recovery.

The Dutchman insisted that Millroy did not need to thank him, arguing that he hoped society could reach a point where helping someone in such danger would be viewed as a natural human reaction rather than an extraordinary act of bravery.

Hartog explained that when he saw the car ahead of him suddenly become engulfed in flames, he immediately believed the driver might be unable to escape without assistance.

There was therefore no lengthy decision-making process.

He stopped his vehicle, got out and ran toward the burning Ferrari.

Hartog later described the experience as frightening, admitting that there were moments when he was uncertain whether he would actually succeed in getting Millroy out.

Nevertheless, he continued his efforts until the British driver was finally freed.

The young Dutchman subsequently revealed through social media that he was relieved to be returning home after the incident.

The crash had left him with a great deal to think about, highlighting the psychological impact such an experience can have even on the person who survives the rescue attempt.

Millroy’s wife, Fern, has also remained closely involved in his recovery and has reportedly continued providing Hartog with updates about her husband’s condition.

Millroy later spoke about the incident during an appearance on the British television programme Good Morning Britain.

He described the rescue as an extremely frightening experience but explained that his reaction was driven by instinct.

Hartog said that he saw a huge fireball ahead of him and immediately realised that whoever was inside the burning vehicle might not be capable of escaping independently.

For him, that made the decision simple.

He knew that he had to stop and help.

The incident has also raised serious questions about safety procedures at the China GT Championship event.

According to reports, the race was not restarted following the crash.

The circumstances surrounding the emergency response have prompted criticism, particularly concerning how quickly fire and rescue personnel reached the scene.

Event organisers subsequently said that they would conduct a detailed review of the accident.

They reportedly intend to examine several areas, including competition organisation, safety support, emergency response procedures, rescue operations and medical services.

The goal is to identify shortcomings and introduce more comprehensive measures to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

AAI Motorsport, the professional racing team involved with Millroy, expressed particularly strong criticism.

The team accused the China GT Championship of failing to respond quickly enough to extinguish the fire and assist the trapped driver.

In a statement shared on social media, AAI Motorsport announced that it would immediately withdraw from the China GT event.

The team also said that it would no longer participate in competitions organised by the championship.

Its statement emphasised that the decision was not motivated by emotion but by what the team described as a fundamental responsibility to protect the lives of its drivers.

The team argued that while professional racing inherently involves risk, there is a clear distinction between accepting the dangers of motorsport and accepting inadequate safety procedures.

AAI Motorsport stressed that on this occasion its own drivers were the people trapped in the burning car, but another incident could potentially involve any driver, team or family.

The team made clear that it was prepared to accept the inherent dangers associated with racing but could not accept what it considered a failure to prioritise human life.

The controversy has therefore extended beyond the crash itself.

What began as a serious racing accident has developed into a broader discussion about emergency preparedness and driver safety in motorsport.

At the centre of the story, however, remains the extraordinary response of Hartog.

While he had been competing against Millroy for position only moments earlier, the young Dutchman immediately abandoned the race when he realised another driver was in danger.

His actions potentially prevented a fatal outcome.

Millroy’s injuries remain serious, and his recovery will likely take time. Yet his survival has allowed him to publicly thank the person who helped him escape.

For Hartog, the incident was not about winning recognition or being celebrated.

He has repeatedly suggested that he simply followed his instincts and did what he believed any person should do when confronted with such a dangerous situation.

For Millroy and his family, however, Hartog’s decision means considerably more.

A competitive rivalry was instantly replaced by an act of humanity.

The British driver may eventually return to the racetrack, but he is unlikely to forget the moment when another competitor stopped his own race, confronted a burning car and risked his safety to pull him to freedom.

In Millroy’s words, he believes he owes Hartog his life.

And although Hartog may reject the label of superhero, his actions during that terrifying Shanghai crash have undoubtedly earned him the admiration and gratitude of the driver whose life he helped save.